Land of the Dead: Lessons from the Underworld on Storytelling and Living

There is wisdom in the land of the dead, for it is the place that all stories lay to rest. And what is a story, if not a simulation of survival? Wielding his massive experience from film, tv, comics, and more, Brian McDonald lays out a history of storytelling and shows the reader how the best tales tug at our truest biological instinct: the need to survive. Readers will see how different forms of survival--physical, emotional, spiritual--inform the arc of character development in a way that makes them more complex and compelling. And how plot and circumstance must then force your protagonist to meet their worst nightmare. Toby Cypress’s electric art guides the reader through the underworld, visualizing each narrative masterpiece, and bringing the ideas to life. Whether you’re in film, books, comics, or simply a story enthusiast, this book offers a way to see character development and the crafting of plot through the lens of human questions of morality and mortality.

Brian McDonald has worked in film, television, and comic books for more than thirty years. He is the writer and director of the award-winning short film White Face, which aired on HBO. A sought-after lecturer and teacher, McDonald has worked as a speaker and story consultant for clients such as Disney Feature Animation and Cirque du Soleil. His book Invisible Ink: A Practical Guide to Building Stories that Resonate is a required reading at Pixar Animation Studio, as well as several film studies programs. McDonald teaches for The Film School Seattle and the Red Badge Project, which works with veterans suffering from PTSD on how to tell their stories.

Toby Cypress grew up in New Jersey spending most of his time skateboarding the boardwalks, exploring arcades, and reading comic books. In 1997 he graduated from the Joe Kubert School of Cartooning and Animation and he began a career in freelance illustration. He lives with his family Gretchen, Jack, and Isabella in Glen Gardner NJ.